Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-09-16

eral years previous 10 400, tue u"'0 va
its presentation.
Well, sir, in 1893, then, we find this
man in little mountain village of what
is now called West Virginia, the village
# BAH, place of pleasant memories
AMI patriotic associations; place of
general resort previous to the Revolu-
ton, during the Revolution, and for
many years subsequent thereto, where
Thomas, Lord Fairfax, who owned that
vast territory between the Potomac and
Rappahannock and west of the Shenan-
loah river, gave its famous spring to
the public with certain rules and restric-
tions, which my friend, Mr.. Pendleton,
who is here, is familiar with, so that
they might have and enjoy the benefit
of it for all time. There we find Rum
sew at the close Of the Revolutionary
War, associated with gentleman By
the name of Nicholas Orrick, in carry
inc on a mercantile establishment;
but at the same time paying more atten-
rion to the development of his idea of
steam navigation than anything else.
/ Wehaye the Orrick statement that RUM
sey was constantly making experiments,
having little models of machines Of all
kinds, going into the most intricate cir
culations, and all that. Then we have
the certificate of respectable gentlemen
! OF that time, that in the summer of 1883
he told numerous persons what he was
about to do, and which he did do in the
month OF September, 1873.
He had a boat of six tons burden built
! on the Potomac river at the mouth OF
! Sir Johns Run, near this little town OF
Bath. He had the village blacksmith
| nut to work TO make a steam engine.
The boiler was a primitive aflair-noth-
ing but an iron pot covered at the top,
fastened with hard solder, riyets and
bands. With that primitive boiler, with
the machinery built by the village black
smith of Bath, which he carried down
at night piecemeal and put on board
this little boat, and with his brother in
law, Joseph Barnes, and his partner
Nicholas Orrick, these three men at
night went on board their little boat to
make practical test OF his invention.
They found it would work their boat and
they went up the Potomac on their mid
night voyagc-this little boat Of six tons
burden moved by the power of the steam
from this primitive boiler of which |
have been speaking. Then he preseh L
ed his petition, as tell you, to the
Legislature of Maryland asking for
help.
In the following spring hc submitted
a similar petition to the Legislature Of
Virginia. In 1874 the Legislature Of
Maryland, as you will find from the his
tory of its legislation of that day, passed
an act giving to James Rumsey, his
heirs and assigns, the exclusive right to
navigate the water of Maryland. Nir-
gna passed a similar act, reserving TO
herself 10 buy back the invention for
ten thousand pounds sterling We have
the certificate of John Tyler, who was
Speaker of the House of Delegates, GER
tifying to that fact, and you will find
the act in "IIennin's Statutes at Large"
Armed with these two Endorsements
from the State OF Maryland, his native
State, and the State of his adoption, Vir-
ginia, Rumsey applied himself with
more assiduity than ever to the develop
ment Of his idea. I'm 1874 he submitted
his plan to General Washington. who
had cottage at Berkeley Springs at
Bath, and was accustomed to go there
every summer. We have the certificate
Of General Washington approving the
plan and showing the purposes for
which it was intended. They are all on
file and are accessible. General Wash
ington, having great confidence in him,
knowing him thoroughly, placed him at
ing the navigation of the Potomac river
as their superintendent. lie was obliged
to devote great deal OF attention to
that, but he did not, in the meanwhile,
neglect the boat project. lie built an
other boat one hundred and fifty feet
long, and as he was about to make an
exhibition with her in the latter part Of
1885 there came freshet in the Potomac
river which carried his boat off and
wrecked it. Not discouraged by this
misfortune he built another boat. That
boat was finished in l7S6, but he deferred
the exhibition of her until 1887. The
exhibition was made at ShepherdstOwn,
on the Potomac river, ten miles above
Harper's Ferry; and though Shepherds
town is the oldest town in West Virginia,
regret to say that at the breaking out of
the Revolutionary War it had as many
inhabitants as it has now. (Laughter).
Gentlemen laugh, but let me tell you
that one reason the place has not increas-
ed in population is because so many OF
its sons have gone forth to aid in build
ing up the towns OF other States, aud it
can say with old Aueas, 'p,tis tocis, p'ls
regio in teyris nOstrae non pleHG laboris."
Ouce in conversation with Presi-
dent Hayes, who had campsigned in our
region, he asked NE what lie had pro-
duced there except corn and wheat.
said we raised governors for Ohio. lie
said, How do you make that outI" l
said. why, some of your best governors
we bred lhere-Tiflin, Morrow aud
Worthington were born in Shepherds
town, and Shepherdstown was the place
seleried by Rumsey to Eake bis expert
ment.